Description
Strategic Financial Leadership
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Serve as the principal advisor to the CEO and Board on all fiscal matters, long-term sustainability, and capital strategy.
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Lead the design and execution of City Teaching Alliance’s multi-year financial and cost model, ensuring alignment between revenue, partnerships, and program outcomes.
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Translate strategic priorities into financial frameworks and forecasts that guide decision-making at the enterprise and site levels.
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Provide the Board Finance and Audit Committees with transparent, timely reporting and strategic recommendations.
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Partner with the Advancement Team to align fundraising, grants, and philanthropy with organizational financial plans.
Financial Management and Oversight
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Direct all financial functions, including accounting, budgeting, cash management, investment strategy, and audit.
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Ensure compliance with GAAP standards and all federal, state, and funder regulations.
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Oversee internal controls, financial policies, and reporting systems that ensure accuracy, integrity, and transparency.
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Manage audits, tax filings, and legal registrations, ensuring corrective actions are completed and documented.
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Lead development of annual budgets and multi-year forecasts, ensuring equitable resource allocation across programs and sites.
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Lead capital planning, liquidity management, and investment strategies that ensure long-term financial health and flexibility
Enterprise Operations and Systems
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Oversee key operational systems—including Development, Data & Analytics, HR, IT, and enterprise infrastructure—that enable organizational efficiency and accountability.
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Partner with the CEO and Chiefs to ensure operational structures support the '5Cs' model (Coaching and mentoring, Coursework, Certification, Clinical Placement, and Community).
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Build integrated systems that connect financial, programmatic, and HR data for greater transparency and decision support.
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Lead process improvement efforts to strengthen cross-department collaboration, streamline workflows, and improve organizational performance.
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Oversee procurement, vendor management, and contracting to ensure fiscal discipline and compliance.
Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness
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Provide leadership for HR strategy, including compensation, benefits, and performance management systems aligned with financial sustainability and equity goals.
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Partner with senior leaders to build workforce plans, succession strategies, and development programs that sustain a high-performing culture.
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Champion a culture of accountability, transparency, and inclusion across the organization.
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Oversee HR compliance, including policy development, benefits administration, and retirement plan governance.
Technology and Data Infrastructure
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Oversee the organization’s IT strategy and data systems to ensure security, reliability, and scalability.
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Lead digital transformation efforts that improve efficiency, reporting accuracy, and decision-making.
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Experience developing and executing Incident Management Plans (IMPs) or similar organizational risk and continuity frameworks.
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Partner with data and impact teams to integrate financial and program metrics for continuous improvement.
Risk, Compliance, and Enterprise Stewardship
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Develop and manage an enterprise risk framework covering financial, operational, and reputational risks.
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Ensure appropriate insurance coverage, business continuity plans, and legal compliance across jurisdictions.
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Review major contracts and investments to ensure alignment with organizational priorities and risk tolerance.
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Serve as the primary liaison to external auditors, legal counsel, and financial institutions.
Requirements
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Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) required; combined expertise ensures both financial rigor and strategic leadership capacity.
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Minimum 10 years of progressive financial and operational leadership experience, ideally within a complex nonprofit, education, or multi-site organization.
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Demonstrated success in strategic financial planning, cost modeling, and systems integration that drive sustainability and efficiency.
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Proven ability to lead enterprise functions, including Finance, HR, IT, and Operations, with a focus on data-driven decision-making.
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Deep understanding of nonprofit accounting standards, audits, funder compliance, and multi-source revenue management.
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Experience developing and executing Incident Management Plans (IMPs) or comparable enterprise risk and continuity frameworks.
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Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to translate financial concepts for diverse stakeholders.
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Demonstrated capacity to lead through influence, manage change, and build high-performing, cross-functional teams.
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Commitment to City Teaching Alliance’s mission, values, and equity-centered leadership.
Core Competencies
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Strategic Systems Thinking: Connects finance, operations, and human capital to long-term goals.
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Analytical Rigor: Uses data to guide complex decisions and model future scenarios.
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Operational Agility: Designs systems that balance discipline with innovation.
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Collaborative Leadership: Builds trust and alignment across departments and geographies.
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Equity Stewardship: Embeds fairness, transparency, and inclusion in financial and operational practices.
Summary
About City Teaching Alliance
Our mission is to identify, prepare, and retain exceptional career educators who are empowered and equipped to make a lasting impact on the academic and life outcomes of all learners. City Teaching Alliance accomplishes this by recruiting outstanding candidates, equipping them with state-of-the-art training, and linking their certification to their demonstration of effective teaching practices and skills. Our fellows will provide the necessary proof points to make a national case for educator effectiveness and accountability. Learn more about City Teaching Alliance on our website: www.cityteachingalliance.org.
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a key member of City Teaching Alliance’s Cabinet and Executive Leadership Team, serving as a strategic partner to the Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors. The CFO provides enterprise-level financial and operational leadership, overseeing Finance, HR, IT, and organizational systems to ensure long-term sustainability, growth, and equity.
City Teaching Alliance operates across multiple regional sites with an annual budget of approximately $18 million. The CFO will lead financial strategy, capital planning, and enterprise infrastructure to strengthen financial performance and operational alignment. This executive will also drive modernization initiatives, enhance data integration across functions, and cultivate a high-performing team that supports innovation and accountability.
This position is open to candidates who reside in states where City Teaching Alliance is currently authorized to employ staff. At this time, we are able to hire employees who reside in Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, North Carolina, New York, Illinois, Louisiana, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Colorado.
This role may be performed remotely from any of the approved locations listed above.